2010 and 2011 food trends

Pie Is the New Cupcake: Pie has been sitting back, gaining momentum for a while, waiting for cupcakes to get over themselves. We saw pie all over menus this year, well before Thanksgivingtime. Sweet and savory; minis and normal-sized; graham cracker, pretzel, butter and leaf lard crusts; in a milkshake or on a stick. At Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, Texas, they have an afternoon pie happy hour where you can score a slice and a drink for $3. Hill Country Chicken, which opened this year in Manhattan, does it too. Over in Brooklyn, the pie shop Four and Twenty Blackbirds makes a double-crusted strawberry balsamic pie and grapefruit custard ones. Whether they're age-old recipes or newfangled ones, pie is always a happy-maker. Step off, cupcakes.



New Food TV Shows: Food Network launched a second cable channel in May called Cooking Channel that aimed to be the newer, edgier baby. The programs targeted a hipper crowd interested in the grassroots of food culture. Paula Deen, for one, does not have a time slot on the channel. But three young guys from Canada who build taco vending machines do (they're on a show called Food Jammers). We also tuned in to watch some of the many new shows: Indian Food Made Easy, Rachel Allen Bake!, and The Great Food Truck Race. We were also very fascinated by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution miniseries this spring. He not only exposed the unhealthy state of West Virginia's school lunch program, but also dressed as a peapod.









Korean Tacos: Since the Kogi truck started roaming the streets of Los Angeles in early 2009, it has inspired a cult following. Many trucks across the country have adopted the Kogi model, including Marination Mobile in Seattle and KOi in Portland. The idea of Korean tacos isn't technically new—Koreans have been wrapping kalbi in lettuce leaves, in a taco-like fashion, for a while. But now people are actually calling them Korean tacos. Pork bulgogi and short rib topped with shredded cabbage and cilantro...they're popping up on menus all over, including non-trucks, like the brick-and-mortar Seoul Station in NYC.











Coffee Toys and Cuppings: Mr. Coffee and even his friend the French Press are getting pushed aside for brewing gadgets like the Aeropress (a pressurized space-age-looking tube), Clever Dripper (cone dripper that uses a gravity valve) and Chemex (stylish blown glass that uses the pourover method). We even hipped up and got a Chemex for the office! The coffee culture is expanding, looking more and more like that of wine. It's no longer just a caffeine delivery system, but something to savor and sip. Ooh, notes of cranberries and dank moss! (There are no wrong answers, right?) Coffee growers, traders, and roasters taste varieties side-by-side in a ritual known as cuppings, which even lay drinkers are getting into now and attending like wine tastings.



Miss Parloa's New Cook Book







Salt Swooning: Using salt is nothing new, of course. But using non-table-salts and showing them off as ingredients—salted caramel gelato, smoked salt on sardines, and just recently Wendy's introduced natural-cut fries with sea salt. This year, selmelier (pretty cool title, right?) Mark Bitterman came out with a book called Salted, a salt encyclopedia on its origins, customs, and recipes. Bitterman runs a shop with his wife in Portland, Oregon, called The Meadow that sells a library of finishing salts, and they just opened a sister shop in Manhattan. Are we turning into salt snobs? Or is it about time we started paying more attention to the pantry staple? And does pepper have a PR rep yet?



GIY: Grow it Yourself: Buying your tomatoes from a farm just 40 miles away, sure that's nice and all, but very 2009 of you. Grow them yourself! This year was marked by a GIY attitude. Being able to grow your own herbs and produce became trendy. It's good to see more people getting dirt under their fingernails and feeling closer to their food. It's as local as it gets.



Designer Ice Cubes: This trend is cool, literally. Sure it's just frozen water, but serious bartenders are hand-chipping ice to order with shiny chisels. It's becoming part of the behind-the-bar craftsmanship, right up there with the alcohol itself. Thad Vogler, the owner of Bar Agricole in the Bay Area, spent about $4,500 on a Kold-Draft machine, which makes about 650 pounds of one-inch cubes a day. The Kold-Draft forms bigger-than-normal cubes so the drink chills faster and dilutes less quickly. Vogler also purchased the Norlake ice crusher for about $2,000 to make those smaller pellets. Or you can just spend $13.95 on this bullet-shaped ice cube tray.

.

Holiday Beer & Food pairings

The holidays are upon us and that means multi-course, epic meals and countless opportunities to flex your beer and food pairing muscles. Ten years ago, hardly anyone was talking about how well the wide array of beers now available compliment different foods but the craft brewing renaissance has changed all of that. Foodies now know that craft beer has all of the distinction, diversity and food compatibility of wine and it has finally made it as an adult this holiday season. Light lager is refreshing and ubiquitous but rarely a great partner for flavor-forward foods. Craft beers have a lot more flavor and diversity. Yup, they will usually have a little higher calorie count then their light lager cousins but holidays are the time to relax and reward yourself. Suck it up and go for a jog or bike ride the next day but life's too short to resist treating yourself when so many great beer options are now available coast to coast.



First off, everyone's palate is different, that's why there are so many different kinds of beers and these suggestions should be taken as just that: suggestions, not mandates. The most sweeping wine analogy I can offer when considering beers to pair with food is this: ales tend to be more fruity and robust, like red wines, so they generally pair with foods in a similar way (e.g., steak, spaghetti & meatballs); lagers are similar to white wines, refined and mellow, so they pair better with more delicate foods (e.g., grilled fish, sushi).



So here are some suggestions for pairing beers with some common holiday food groups that your are bound to run into or are planning to cook up for guests yourself this season.





Cheeses

This is the de facto way into many a holiday meal and, while wines may go pretty well with some cheeses, the carbonation and diversity in beer make it a better partner. The bubbles in beer exfoliate the tongue of the fatty weight of the cheese to prepare you for the next bite. Some great combinations:





•Fresh mozzarella and a nice bready, spicy white beer like Avery White Rascal or Allagash White.





•Sharp aged cheddar with a hoppy beer like Russian River's Pliney the Elder or Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.





•Roquefort or a big stinky bleu with a beer with some serious body and darker roasty grains, like Thomas Hardy's Ale or Deschutes Abyss.





Meats





•Sirloin steak is usually paired with dry, tannic red wines; however, this classic dish is a great partner for spicy beers like Saison du Pont or Chimay Red.





•A pork chop's lighter meat has more subtle flavors so you don't want to overpower it with too big of a bee so opt for a German bock, like Schneider Aventinus or an Amber Ale like New Belgium Fat Tire.





•Glazed ham is both sweet and salty, so it needs an earthy and fruity beer as a partner, like Theakston Old Peculiar Ale or Brooklyn Brown Ale.





Shellfish





•New England clam chowder is a thick, rich soup that has a lot of tongue-coating cream and a salty flavor, but it can be overwhelmed by too strong a beer. Opt for a stout, like Murphy's or Guinness.





•Lobster is a dish that goes really well with traditional lager, like Heineken or Yuengling Lager.





Seafood





•Grilled tuna (assuming it is lightly seasoned and unadorned with a heavy cream sauce) goes well with a mid-body lager, like Troeg's Troegenator or Sam Adams' Double Bock.





•Fried fish and chips needs a beer that is dry and bubbly enough to cut through the palate-coating batter. I recommend Bink Blonde Hoppy Golden Ale or Birra del Borgo ReAle.





Chocolate





•Whether it is pure chocolate bars and candy or rich chocolate cakes, I think the ultimate beer and food pairing is any type of chocolate and dark roasty imperial stout. Try Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues or Chicory Stout from Dogfish Head.

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes, Menus and Cooking Tips , leftovers Vermont Cheddar Mashed Yukon Golds

Thanksgiving is all about abundance or, often, overabundance. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With healthy updates to classic dishes, the recipes showcased here use high-impact flavors like fresh herbs, spices and seasonal fruits and vegetables to minimize the need for gobs of butter, cream and salt. Some dishes are healthy updates on classic dishes, while others are twists on traditional fare.

How to Roast Your Turkey




To prepare the turkey for roasting, first remove the giblets (and save for gravy or stuffing). Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.



•If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

•Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tie drumsticks together with string (for stuffed birds only).

•Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.

•Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.

•Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.







Weight of Bird

Roasting Time

(Unstuffed)



Roasting Time

(Stuffed)





10-18 lbs

3-3.5 hours

3.75-4.5 hours



18-22 lbs

3.5-4 hours

4.5-5 hours



22-24 lbs

4-4.5 hours

5-5.5 hours



24-29 lbs

4.5-5 hours

5.5-6.25 hours



•The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) at the thigh.



For the host, we’ve got menus and planners and budget-friendly wines, as well as new ways to use up all those turkey leftovers. If you’ve always felt daunted by the turkey carving process, our step-by-step photos illustrate simple instructions for success, plus other tips for a terrific stress-free holiday. If you’re not hosting this year, choose from our selection of healthy sides and scrumptious desserts. You’ll find nearly everything here to enjoy a delicious, healthy Thanksgiving.
Nutrition Profile


Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes



Diabetes appropriate
Low calorie
Low cholesterol
Low saturated fat
Low sodium
Heart healthy
Healthy weight
Gluten free




View Our Nutrition Guidelines » Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

More Healthy Recipe Ideas

Easy Mashed Potato Recipes

Easy Apple Recipes

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Smashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Summer Potato Salad

Maple-Banana Topping

Apple-Maple Filling

Roasted Apple Butter

Preparation

1.Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.

3.Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

NutritionPer serving: 96 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 118 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv)



1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

Vermont Cheddar Mashed Yukon Golds




Ingredients


3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 11/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup sliced fresh chives, divided

More Healthy Recipe Ideas

Delicious Recipes with Kale and More Healthy Winter Greens

Chile Pepper Recipes and Other Spicy Recipes

Cheese Recipes for Strong Bones

Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Easy Vegetarian Soup Recipes

You Might Also Like

Yukon Gold & Sweet Potato Mash

Cheddar-Ale Soup

Chipotle Cheddar Chard

Apple, Sauerkraut & Cheddar Quesadillas

Cheddar-Apple Melt

Preparation

1.Place potatoes in a large Dutch oven and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until very tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in 1 1/4 cups cheese until melted. Add buttermilk, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Gently fold in 3 tablespoons chives. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon chives.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, reheat in a double boiler and garnish with cheese and chives.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

NutritionPer serving: 223 calories; 6 g fat (4 g sat, 0 g mono); 19 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 2 g fiber; 425 mg sodium; 935 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Potassium (27% daily value), Calcium (15% dv).



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat

The all-important timing:


Now, this is important: Let's say you want to put dinner on the table around two o'clock in the afternoon and you are cooking a 20-pound unstuffed turkey. Do the math, and you'll see that your turkey should be in the oven no later than ten o'clock in the morning.

Okay, so your pies are all baked and you readied the bread for the dressing the day before. Here's the drill:



Set your table. It's more peaceful early, and you can enjoy handling your nice linens and the tableware you use on special occasions. Actually, you can do this the night before, but get it done early so when people start arriving they can admire your table.

If you haven't been successful in delegating the sweet potato or other casserole, make it and bake it now. You'll reheat it later.

Wash, dry and refrigerate any salad greens you will be using.

Start preheating your oven, get your turkey ready, and put it in.

Around noon, things start happening fast. You may have some guests that arrive early. If they are agreeable and handy in the kitchen, you may want to put them to work. In any case, have a glass of wine or whatever. Your house is beginning to smell really good.

Start assembling your dressing. Sauté the vegetables for the dressing (onion, celery and green pepper or what have you -- recipes follow) and mix them together with the crumbled bread.

Every hour or so, I check on the turkey. I know it supposedly increases the cooking time and pre-basted turkeys aren't supposed to need it, but I like to do it. I baste it with pan juices and the juice from the body cavity. The last hour or so, I usually have to put a piece of aluminum foil over the bird to keep it from getting too brown. See what you think.

Peel the potatoes and cover them with cold water.

If you're cooking the giblets separately, start them now.

Ready your rolls or whatever bread you will serving. Set them out on the baking pan.

Assemble the salads, green and/or fruit.

You'll need about a cup of drippings from the turkey for your dressing (use a turkey baster or ladle to remove them from the pan). Finish putting together the dressing.

The turkey is pronounced done, so let it trade places in the oven with your pan of dressing. Don't forget to turn up the heat to 375°F.

Remove the turkey from the pan, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest.

Start cooking the potatoes at this point. Start earlier for turnips.

Make the gravy (recipe follows) and keep it hot on the back of the stove.

Check on the dressing after 15 minutes, stir it around, away from the sides of the pan so it bakes evenly; then put it back in. If you have a sweet potato or other dish that was cooked earlier, pop it in with the dressing so it can reheat.

Get someone to fill up the cream pitcher and put butter on the table.

Pour yourself another glass of wine.

Mash the potatoes, cover and put them on the back of the stove.

Put the salads and cranberry sauce on the table.

Take the dressing out and make any seasoning adjustments. (Remove any other dishes, too.) When the dressing is done (you need about eight hands at this point), let it quickly trade places with the rolls. Get someone to watch the rolls for you while they bake. Don't forget to turn up the heat again.

Put the turkey on its platter and keep it covered.

Dish up the dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc., and cover.

Remove the now golden-brown rolls, and put everything on the table.

Sound the dinner bell, although you probably won't have to -- people will have been edging toward the table for some time.

Dressing recipes:

Grandma's Cornbread Dressing & Giblet Gravy

Southwestern Cornbread Dressing

Turkey dinner side dishes:

Horseradish Mashed Trio of Potatoes

Bourbon-Laced Sweet Potatoes

Buttery Carrots and Rutabagas

Cranberry Orange Relish

Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Ruby Cranberry Mold

Holiday dessert recipes:

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Jeanine's Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

Holiday Cranberry Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Praline Pie

My, my. Only 26 easy steps. If this sounds exhausting, that's because it is a lot of work, especially during the last hour. The adrenaline surge will carry you through, however. Some accomplished extra hands in the kitchen can lighten your load considerably, so enlist aid if at all possible to avoid chaos.

Some cooks prefer to take full responsibility for preparing the meal in exchange for the cleanup by others. Don't feel shame if your kitchen looks like it has been shelled.



Turkey Dinner Buffet

If you have too many dishes for your table, set up a buffet so people can line up and help themselves. And (again, this isn't the way they do it in the movies) matters will be simplified enormously if you carve the turkey in the kitchen before it gets to the table. That way your family and guests don't have to sit around watching the carver perform while all the food gets cold.

Most every familys' holiday meal is a law unto itself. You may enjoy dishes that are unique to your table, and your meal preparation routine may differ in scope or scale to the one described above, but holiday meals are very special to all of us.



There are links below to two kinds of dressing -- my favorite Cornbread Dressing with Giblet Gravy, and an excellent Southwestern Cornbread Dressing

Halloween CupCakes

If you are, then taking a quick trip across to the Cupcake Cauldron might be the answer for you. Ashley’s blog is a mix of her current creations with a few great cupcake recipes thrown into the cauldron so to speak! But it is Halloween that she does best, and here are two of her creations.Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat

These show how much magic you can create by just adding a topper! Of course the cupcake flavor choice is all important as well. Ashley has used vanilla cake with fudge frosting for Pumpkin and for Skull she used a devil’s food cake with a mini peanut butter cup on the inside and peanut butter frosting on top.



Can’t believe Halloween is now just over a week away!

Seasonal Food Calendar / Spring Summer Fall Winter Fruit & Vegetables

Seasonal Food Calendar

Spring Summer Fall Winter

VEGETABLES

• artichoke

• asparagus

• avocado, hass

• beans, fava

• beans, green

• beets

• broccoli

• cabbages

• carrots

• cauliflower

• celeriac/celery root

• celery

• chard

• collards

• corn

• fennel

• garlic, green

• kale

• leek

• mushrooms

• morels

• onions, spring

• peas, edible pods

• peas, english, shelling

• potatoes, new

• radish

• ramps

• squash, zucchini

• sorrel

• spinach

• sunchokes • basil

• beans, green

• beans, fresh shelling such as craberrry, black-eyed pea

• beets

• carrots

• corn

• cucumber

• garlic

• eggplant

• greens-kale

• lettuce

• onions, vidalia, walla walla, red

• okra

• peas, english shelling

• peppers, sweet/bell

• potatoes

• squash, summer

• tomatillo

• tomatoes • artichokes

• avocado hass, fuerte, zutano

• beans, fresh shelling

• beans, green

• beets

• bok choy

• broccoli

• cabbages

• carrots

• celeriac/celery root

• celery

• chard

• cucumber

• daikon

• eggplant

• kohlrabi

• leek

• parsnip

• pepper, bell, chile

• potatoes

• potatoes, sweet

• pumpkin

• radish

• rutabaga

• spinach

• sunchoke

• squash, summer winter

• tomatillos

• tomatoes

• turnips

• yams • artichoke

• asparagus

• avocado, fuerte, haas,zutano

• broccoli

• cabbages, bok choy, green, napa

• savoy

• carrots

• cauliflower

• celery

• celeriac/celery root

• chard

• collards

• daikon

• fennel

• greens, turnip watercress

• kale

• leeks

• mushrooms, wild

• onions, green

• parsleys

• parsnip

• potatoes, red russet white, sweet/yams

• radish

• rutabaga

• spinach

• squash, butternut

• squash, winter

• sunchoke

• turnips

–
Seasonal Food Calendar



Spring Summer Fall Winter

FRUITS

• apricots

• blackberries

• raspberries

• strawberries

• cantalope

• cherimoya

• cherries

• grapefruit

• honeydew

• kiwi

• kumquat

• lemon, meyer

• lime, key

• orange, navel

• peaches

• rhubarb

• tangerine

• watermelon • apples

• apricots

• berries, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, loganberries, olallieberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries

• cherries

• currants

• figs, black mission, calimyrna adriatic brown turkey kadota

• grapes, red flame thompson seedless

• limes

• melons, cantaloupe honeydew watermelon

• nectarines

• oranges, valencia

• peaches

• pears: asian bartlett french butter

• pineapple

• plums • almonds

• apples

• berries, cranberries, raspberries huckleberries

• chestnuts

• figs

• grapes

• guava, pineapple

• kumquat\

• lemons

• mandarins

• melons

• orange, valencia navel

• pears, asian, bartlett, bosc, comice

• pecans

• persimmons fuyu hachiya

• pistachios

• plums

• pomegranate

• quince

• tangerines

• walnut • berries, cranberries raspberries strawberries

• chestnuts, fresh water

• cherimoya

• currants, red

• dates, fresh

• grapefruit

• kiwi

• kumquat

• lemon

• mandarins/tangerines

• nuts, walnuts, chestnuts

• oranges, navel, blood,

• pears, anjou, bopsc, comice

• pummelo

• quince

• rhubarb, hothouse

buy food free delivery

FOX. MASTERCHEF by Chef Gordon Ramsay

Famed chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing MASTERCHEF, a new culinary competition series based on the smash hit U.K. and Australian format, to FOX. MASTERCHEF conducted a nationwide search for the best home cooks in America, and through a series of exciting elimination rounds, will turn one of them into a culinary master.




MasterChef conducted a nationwide search for the best home cooks in America.

Contestants on MASTERCHEF will be judged and mentored by Chef Gordon Ramsay, famed for his international empire of Michelin-starred restaurants and television series HELL'S KITCHEN and KITCHEN NIGHTMARES. Joining him on the judging panel are restaurateur and wine maker Joe Bastianich, owner of some of the most-celebrated Italian restaurants across the country; and Graham Elliot, the youngest four-star chef in the U.S. and mastermind behind Chicago's first "bistronomic" restaurant.



MASTERCHEF contestants will be put through their paces in a series of challenges designed to test their palate, food knowledge, passion and culinary skills both inside and outside the kitchen. As they're whittled down, they'll face increasing pressure, from being asked to slice and dice a truckload of onions to creating incredible gourmet dishes from boxes full of random ingredients to providing an all-American send-off meal for hundreds of U.S. Marines to catering a high-end wedding.



The winner will walk away with a quarter of a million dollars.

The series will serve as a unique platform for people from all walks of life who want to make a big change and follow their dream of becoming a culinary legend. The winner of America's first-ever MASTERCHEF will also walk away with a quarter of a million dollars and will publish his or her own cookbook.



MASTERCHEF is produced by Reveille, Shine TV and One Potato Two Potato and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Shine TV. Shine International handles distribution for the MASTERCHEF format. Elisabeth Murdoch, Franc Roddam, Mark Koops, Howard T. Owens, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Pat Llewellyn, J.D. Roth and Todd Nelson serve as executive producers.

Top USA Comfort food recipes - Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich & Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Many recipes I found seemed to be rather dated as they called for frying the chicken in vegetable shortening. Most shortenings on the market have transfats in them, which we now know are very bad for us. We do our frying, of anything, in grape seed oil, which as the name implies, comes from the seeds of grapes. It is a high smoke-point oil, which means that you can get it pretty hot before it begins to burn, making it perfect for deep frying. It also has many known health benefits (see the Wikipedia citation). The recipes also called for frying the chicken in a cast iron frying pan. We love our cast iron pans, but they tend to be quite heavy, and retain heat so well, that if you have a problem and have to lower the heat rapidly, you won't be able to do it. Anodized aluminum can also take the heat without warping, but will be more responsive for heating and cooling.




Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe



Ingredients

1 (3 pound) fryer (see Wikipedia on the difference between broilers, fryers, and roasting birds), cut into pieces

 1 # buter cubed
2 cups buttermilk

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme) or a teaspoon each of the dried herbs.

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper



2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

2 cups grapeseed oil, or other high smoke-point oil such as canola oil, or peanut oil



Method

1 Soak chicken overnight (at least 8 hours and up to two days) in buttermilk with onions, herbs, paprika, and cayenne pepper. (Regarding the use of buttermilk, my mother has had good results from soaking chicken in plain yogurt instead of buttermilk.)



2 Drain in colander, leaving some herbs on chicken. In a large paper or plastic (sturdy) bag, mix flour with seasonings. Meanwhile, heat 2 cups oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron, stainless steel, or anodized aluminum - something that can take the heat) on medium high heat until a pinch of flour starts to sizzle when dropped in the hot oil (but not so hot that the pan is smoking). Remember when working with hot oil, always have a pan lid close by.









3 Place chicken pieces in bag with flour and shake until thoroughly coated. Add chicken to hot pan and fry on 1 side for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, and then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 10-12 minutes, again until golden brown.



Be careful to keep the oil hot enough to fry the chicken, but not so high as it burns the chicken. To do this on our electric stove we have to alternate the settings between high to medium high several times while we are cooking.







4 Use tongs to remove chicken from pan. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet or broiling pan for the excess oil to drain. Add more salt and pepper to taste.



Serves 4.



Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich Recipe


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Ingredients

One 3-pound chuck roast, rinsed and dried

2 medium onions, chopped

3 EA. Star Anise
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes)

1 18-ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (or 2 1/4 cups of your favorite homemade barbecue sauce)

1 slice aged new england cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 sandwich or kaiser buns

Method

1 In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roughly chopping them in the pot. Add the barbecue sauce, increase heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chuck roast. Bring to a low simmer, cover and slow cook until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.







2 Remove the meat from the pot. Use a fork and knife to separate the roast into small pieces. Set aside.



3 Increase the heat on the pot to medium/medium-high, uncover, and reduce the liquid until thick. Stir often to prevent burning.



4 Return the meat to the liquid in the pan. Warm both thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.



Serve on buns. Makes approximately 12 sandwiches.

Cake Boss - Season 3 Premiere Preview ( TLC Cake Boss title “Governor, Giant Lisa & Good-bye Mama” ) cake boss marathon all day on TLC...

RETURNING SERIES: "Cake Boss" (TLC at 9)

Buddy Valstro and his family come back for a third season of making cakes at their Hoboken, N.J.-based bakery; this season, the bakery turns 100, and everyone takes a trip to Italy. Last summer's breakout hit returns for a third season. Taking viewers inside the busy Hoboken, NJ-based Italian bakery run by Buddy Valstro alongside his mother, sisters, and other family, the series promises amazing cake creations and Valastro family hijinks. This season, the family celebrates the bakery's 100th anniversary and takes a vacation to visit Italy

In the premiere, Buddy and the crew are taking on one mother of a project: A life-sized cake of Buddy's wife who's turning 30. Of course, everyone in the bakery has an opinion and, as expected, the team can cross the line.he hit cable series about Carlo’s City Hall Bake Shop in Hoboken will air its season premiere this Monday, May 31 at 9 p.m., with a one-hour special featuring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s Inaugural Gala held at Newark’s Prudential Center in January.

Buddy Valastro, star of “Cake Boss,” was challenged to create a New Jersey-themed cake to run in line with the theme of the Inaugural Gala, a “Taste of New Jersey.”

The inaugural cake, complete with scenes from the Jersey shoreline, the New Jersey Turnpike, and replicas of both Prudential Center and Carlo’s City Hall Bake Shop, measured 8-ft. long by 4-ft. deep by 4-ft. high. Made up of multiple flavors, Valastro included a blueberry swirl portion, celebrating one of the state’s most well-known fruits. The cake was cut and offered to attendees of the Inaugural Gala, as well as to fans in attendance for the Devils’ game the following night against the Florida Panthers.

“We were thrilled when we heard such a well known, successful New Jersey business would take part in this historic event at the Rock,” said Jeff Vanderbeek, Chairman and Managing Partner of the Devils. “Buddy’s cake, and the presence of the ‘Cake Boss’ series, made the night even more memorable.”

“I was truly shocked to be asked to create the cake for the Governor’s Inauguration at Prudential Center,” Valastro said. “I consider myself a Jersey boy through and through and to do something for the highest ranking member in the state, at such a beautiful arena, was an honor and privilege.”

This will be the third season for “Cake Boss” on TLC. Carlos’ City Hall Bake Shop, known for its specialty cakes designed for events and occasions, has become a popular New Jersey tourist attraction. This is the first time the hit series has featured a political event or inauguration on an episode.

Cake Boss ( Large Van Cake )

Cake Boss is a reality television show, airing on TLC, set at Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey. The show stars Buddy Valastro, the shop's owner, and his family, specifically his mother, four older sisters and three brothers-in-law.
Season one of the show premiered on April 19, 2009, and season two premiered on October 26, 2009.
The members of the cast appear as themselves.

• Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro The only son of Buddy Sr. and Mary.
• Mary Valastro Bought the bakery with her husband in 1964.
• Lisa Valastro Buddy's wife.
• Grace Faugno The eldest child of Buddy Sr. and Mary.
• Joe Faugno Grace's husband.
• Maddalena "Madeline" Castano The second eldest daughter of Buddy Sr. and Mary.
• Mauro Castano Madeline's husband and Buddy's right hand man.
• Mary Sciarrone The middle child of Buddy Sr. and Mary.
• Lisa Gonzalez The youngest daughter of Buddy Sr. and Mary. In "Aquarium Adventures and an Announcement", it is announced that she is pregnant.
• Remy Gonzalez Lisa's husband.
• Frank Amato, Jr. Buddy's first cousin and the godfather of his son, Marco.
• Danny Dragone An employee and close family friend.
• Sal Picinich Started working at the bakery in 1964 and is one of Buddy's most trusted employees.
• Stephanie "Sunshine" Fernandez Buddy's first intern and she was also the first woman to work upstairs.
• Christine Campanelli The second woman to work upstairs.
• Violet Valentin Buddy's third intern.
• Daniella Storzillo An employee and close family friend.
• Toni Walton An employee.
• Kevin "Stretch" Krand The delivery boy, known for dropping/creating mass destruction to the cakes Buddy entrusts him with to deliver.
• Cousin Anthony The delivery boy, episodes 8 - present
• Tony Albanese Buddy's second intern, Season 1